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"I could go to a Canadian Tire, chase some guy in a parking lot, tell him I'm going to kick his ass all over the parking lot!" thunders Perruzza. "Now what am I faced with? Charges, and an Integrity Commissioner complaint!"

Anyway, Councillor Stephen Holyday's motion to NOT reimburse Councillor Chris Moise for any additional legal costs related to an Integrity Commissioner investigation FAILS 6-16.

Fletcher's motion to remove the $5K threshold for automatic reimbursement of councillor legal costs related to Integrity Commissioner investigations CARRIES 18-4.

Holyday says the majority of people he's heard from oppose the shelter, and so he's opposing it. He moves to reduce the allowed height under the zoning from 19 metres to 15 metres.

"The proposal that I have here right-sizes the zoning to the building," says Holyday of the women's shelter. He says the current process of bringing this shelter forward has led to mistrust in the community.

Holyday explains that even if his motion to reduce the permitted height of the shelter passes, he will still oppose the shelter item because that's what his community has asked him to do.

Perks and Bravo explain that the extra permitted height is both part of bringing this site into the harmonized zoning bylaw passed eons ago and making sure the shelter site can be converted into housing when demand changes.

"So what are we to do with this news in the newspaper?" Cheng asks. "Do we feel like the Toronto Star's article is not... true?" Staff say they can't comment on that, but Metrolinx has confirmed "their schedule has not changed from what was previously provided."

Staff say Metrolinx is in the middle of an RFP for Rail Safety & Operations System for the Yonge North subway extension. "They will not be able to provide any further schedule updates until that RFP is completed and then they have a schedule from the contractor."

With 26 items left on the agenda, Mayor Chow moves to extend the meeting tonight to finish. Nunziata insists on a recorded vote. "Everybody that votes yes, do NOT leave. If you leave, the penalty is you don't get paid." Motion to extend CARRIES 19-2.

Councillor Josh Matlow rises to rightly defend the reputation of the venerable Toronto Star. "The Star's reporting was 100% completely accurate, and it was based on a TTC report." Matlow notes "the TTC has a history of being far more transparent than Metrolinx."

Pasternak jumps in to defend the province's record. "At least transit is being built," he says. "Look, if anyone's renovated a kitchen or a bathroom in their house, tell me how many times it comes in on budget and on time. Multiply that out by a subway line and you can see what you're dealing with."

Cheng's motion for an updated traffic study looking at impacts from the Yonge North subway extension CARRIES via show of hands.

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Councillor Gord Perks, the Planning & Housing chair, moves to APPROVE the Ellesmere Road development as per the original planning staff recommendation. He says he hates this process, but says the provincial government has "stacked the deck" with their changes to planning law.

Councillor Neethan Shan says the community was clear in its opposition to this project. "This is just going to add a lot of strain in that particular area," noting it's a part of Scarborough with a big student population. (He says there's "no real need" for more student housing.)

After Councillor Holyday takes a quick shot at the avenues policy for enabling this kind of development proposal (he's not a fan!), Council breaks for 30 minutes to grab dinner. Back at 6:30 with 25 items left on the agenda. Say a little prayer for me.